Look here, me boy,--ho, ho!" He drew out the till behind the counter, and jingled his hand in coppers.

Then he rushed about in the wildest fervour from object to object, opening tins which he had forgotten were empty, making passes at the beef and the ham with a formidable carving-knife, demonstrating the use of a sugar-chopper and a coffee-grinder, and, lastly, calling attention with infinite glee to a bad halfpenny which he had detected on the previous afternoon, and had forthwith nailed down to the counter, _in terrorem_.

Then he lifted with much solemnity a hinged portion of the counter, and requested his visitors to pass into the back-parlour.

Here there was the same perfect cleanliness, though the furniture was scant and very simple.

The round table was laid for tea, with a spotless cloth, plates of a very demonstrative pattern, and knives and forks which seemed only just to have left the ironmonger's shop.
"We pass, you observe, Mr.Casti," cried the ex-teacher, "from the region of commerce to that of domestic intimacy.